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[7Voter-Turnout]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]

[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#]
[GRAPHIC=Election 98]

Months of campaigning will wrap up today, as voters head to the polls for election 98.
[Double Boxes=Melanie and Kimberly/Microwave]

Kimberly McBroom joins us live from Fishburn Park Elementary- one of Roanoke's many polling places.
Kimberly, has it been a busy morning so far?
[Live=Kimberly Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=219-Kimberly/McBroom;]
[SUPER=205-Roanoke;]
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[Live=Kimberly Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=205-Roanoke;]
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[Double Boxes=Melanie and Kimberly/Microwave]

[7Elx-Coverage]

Stay tuned to News 7 for the latest election results.
We'll have live reports in all of our newscasts, and once the polls close, we will bring you the very latest results, and reaction to key races throughout the region.

[7E-Turnout-Prediction]

Experts are predicting a low turnout at the polls.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=203-Blacksburg;]

Virginia Tech Political Science professor Charles Walcott said off-year elections such as this one don't draw as many people.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 15:20:34]
[IN Q=anytime]
((CHARLES WALCOTT/VA TECH PROFESSOR: ANYTIME YOU DON'T HAVE ANYONE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT, SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO PAY MUCH ATTENTION AND WON'T VOTE.))
[SUPER=201-Charles Walcott/Va. Tech Professor;]
[RUNS=05]
[OUT Q=WON'T VOTE]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Walcott said a low turnout works in favor of Republicans.
And that could help Joe Barta, who's running against the popular incumbent, Rick Boucher.
But in the other race, where Roanoke Mayor David Bowers is challenging Bob Goodlatte, Walcott said voter turnout will NOT make a difference.
(//////sot/////////////////)
[SOT 15:23:20]
[IN Q=the sixth]
((CHARLES WALCOTT/VA TECH PROFESSOR: THE SIXTH DISTRICT IS OVER. YOU CAN MAIL IT IN FOR GOODLATTE. THE QUESTION IS SIMPLY HOW BIG THE NUMBER IS GOING TO BE.))
[RUNS=06]
[OUT Q=TO BE]
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[VO-NAT]

Today's rainy weather is also expected to be a factor in voter turnout.
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[7L'Burg-Indictment]

A teenager faces a capital murder charge for a July murder in Lynchburg.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg/July 12]

The body of 21-year old Peter Spyropoulos (Spear-op-uh-lus) of Massachusetts was found July 12-th in a burning car.

He had been shot to death.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[SS=HOLD]

Yesterday, a Lynchburg grand jury indicted 18-year old Darnell Willis Venable.
He was arrested July 24-th in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The two men apparently traveled together to Lynchburg the day before the murder, which authorities believe was moti

vated by robbery.[7E-Park-Indictments]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=djo]
[TAPE#=98-57 1:41:44]
[GRAPHIC=Legal Scales]
The story of a mother who found condoms in a Roanoke city park has led to 17 felony and three misdemeanor warrants.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]
The grand jury returned the 20 indictments yesterday.
17 were for solicitation, two for sexual battery and one for indecent exposure.
Prosecutors say serving the warrants will not be a problem.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT=04:27:16]
[IN Q=I DON'T ANTICIPATE]
[SUPER=01-Dennis Nagel/Asst. Commonwealth's Atty.;]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=PART OF THE CASE.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The woman's complaints about scattered condom wrappers and sexual activity in her neighborhood park led to an investigation.
Police say Wasena and Smith parks are being used as a meeting point for gay men to have sex.
(------------)

[7Weather]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cut-in]
[WRITER=pev]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Taking a look now at your election day forecast..
Look for rain to continue today, with cool temperatures only reaching the low- to mid-50s.
Cloudy with some drizzle overnight. Lows are expected to drop into the low-40s.
The extended forecast...
[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Cloudy & Cool/Rain Likely/50-54/Cloudy with/Drizzle/40-44; AREA FORECAST]
[SUPER=#555;RESET]
[7BIRTHDAYS!] 11/4/98
Wednesday:
[SUPER=130-10/T. J. Marshall/Botetourt Co.]

[SUPER=19-Melanie/Moon;][45E-Cressell]

Testimony resume today in Indedepence in the trial of Emmett Cressell Junior- who's accused of burning and beheading former marine Garnett Johnson.
Yesterday the judge threatened to jail one of the prosecution's key witnesses.
Louise Anderson was threatened with contempt of court when she refused to elaborate on her relationship with co-defendant Louis (Louie) Ceparano.
Teresa Hamilton reports.
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[SOT]
[SUPER=03-Independence; :00]
[SUPER=@Teresa1; 1:14]
[RUNS=1:38]
[OUT-Q=TH, N7]

[45S-Bank-Robbery]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cutins]
[WRITER=jmc]
[TAPE#=98-59 1:53:55]
[GRAPHIC=Bank Robbery]
Halloween is over, but the man who held up a bank in northwest Roanoke was wearing a gorilla mask.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

It happened at about one yesterday afternoon, at the First National Exchange Bank on Peter's Creek Road.
Employees say the man took out a long-barreled gun, threw a bag on the counter and told the teller to fill it with money.
He took the cash, ran to a nearby supermarket, got in a car and drove off.
No one was hurt.
(------------)

[45Weather]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cut-in]
[WRITER=pev]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Taking a look now at your Tuesday forecast..
Cooler, wet weather today, as rain continues. Temperatures are only expected to rise into the mid-50s.
More light rain tonight. Lows should drop into the low-40s.
The extended forecast...
[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=314-Cloudy & Cool/Rain Likely/50-54/Cloudy with/Drizzle/40-44; AREA FORECAST]
[SUPER=#555;RESET]
[cutopen]

[SUPER=19-Melanie/Moon;][8Voter-Turnout]

Election 98 is underway. The polls opened up this morning at 6 a-m.
[Double Boxes=Melanie and Steve/Microwave]

Steve Pardon joins us live from the Roanoke armory- one of many places people can come out to vote.
Steve, what has voter turnout been like so far?
[Live=Steve Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=219-Steve/Pardon;]
[SUPER=205-Roanoke;]
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[VO-NAT]
[RUNS:00]
[Live=Steve Full/Microwave]
[SUPER=205-Roanoke;]
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[Double Boxes=Melanie and Steve/Microwave]

[8Elx-Coverage]

News 7 will provide you with election coverage throughout the day.
We'll have live reports in all of our newscasts, and once the polls close, we will bring you the very latest results, and reaction to key races throughout the region.

[8E-Fire-Arrest]

Five months after a suspicious fire gutted a Roanoke apartment building and killed six people police think they know who started it.
Eric Earnhart has details.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Prosecutors]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/May 18; :01]
[SUPER=01-Dennis Nagel/Asst. Commonwealth's Attorney; :10]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/October 8; :31]
[SUPER=@Eric1; 1:02]
[RUNS=1:17]
[OUT Q=EE. News 7]
((Prosecutors still aren't saying how or why the fire happened, but they say they know who, charging Michael Jerrod Clements with murder and arson.
[SOT 17:52:48]
[IN Q=after reviewing]
((DENNIS NAGEL/ASSISTANT COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY; AFTER REVIEWING ALL THE EVIDENE WE DETERMINED THAT WE COULD BRING FORTH SIX COUNTS OF WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY FELONY HOMICIDE, AND THE ONE COUNT OF ARSON, FOR WHICH MR. CLEMENTS COULD FACE A MAXIMUM OF SEVEN LIFE TERMS.))
[RUNS12]
[OUT Q=life terms]

When the fire broke out, many surivors thought it was an act of retaliation for the death of Kevin Jones, shot by Willie Caldwell just a few hours earlier... Caldwell argued self defense and last month a jury found him NOT guilty of murder.
Prosecutors aren't saying if there's a connection... but evidence from Caldwell's trial played a part in the indictments.
[SOT 17:53:10]
[IN Q=we had been]
((DENNIS NAGEL/ASSISTANT COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY; WE HAD BEEN REVIEWING THE INVESTIGATION THE POLICE HAS CONDUCTED, I THINK WE SAID ALL ALONG THAT WE'D BEEN WAITING TO REVIEW SOME OF THE TESTIMONY IN THE WILLIE CALDWELL TRIAL, WE HAVE NOW REVIEWED THE TESTIMONY OF THOSE WITNESSES, AND FEEL THAT WE HAVE A SUFFICIENT CASE THAT WE CAN GO FORWARD ON THIS MATTER))
[RUNS17]
[OUT Q=on this matter]

While he faces a maximum of 7 life sentences if convicted on all charges, Clements is NOT charged with capital murder.
Nagel says he can't go into the details of the case to explain why, but capital murder was not an appropriate charge in this instance.
Eric Earnhart, News 7))

[8Pitts-Murder]

Halloween turned into a deadly holiday in Pittsylvania County.
37-year old Kenneth Waddell Carter died early yesterday morning at Danville Regional Medical Center.
He was taken there Saturday night after suffering a puncture wound to the left thigh.
He received the fatal injury in a fight during a party in Chatham.

[8Weather]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[NEWSCAST=cut-in]
[WRITER=pev]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=]

Taking a look now at your election day forecast..
Look for temperatures to rise only into the mid-50s as rain continues throughout the day and into tonight.
Overnight lows should drop into the low- to mid-40s.
The extended forecast...
[SUPER=X5000; SET DISSOLVE]
[SUPER=#555;RESET]
[SUPER=314-Cloudy & Cool/Rain Likely/50-54/Cloudy with/Drizzle/40-44; AREA FORECAST]